1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an endoscope which self-travels in a body cavity while rotating around an insertion direction, a self-traveling endoscope system to be externally inserted into an insertion portion of the endoscope for improving insertion performance of the insertion portion into the body cavity and particularly into a small intestine, a rotating self-traveling endoscope insertion assisting tool which assists insertion of the endoscope, and a method for technique of inserting the endoscope insertion portion into the small intestine using the rotating self-traveling endoscope system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a medical endoscope has been used by being inserted into a body cavity for endoscopic inspections. Various proposals have been made for this type of endoscope for easy insertion into a bent lumen such as a colon, which is a body cavity.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-34627 discloses provision of a helical structure on an outer circumferential surface of an endoscope and a technique for assisting insertion of the endoscope into a body cavity by a thrust by rotation applied by an endoscope insertion assisting device, for example.
Also, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-225092 discloses a self-traveling colon endoscope advance assisting tool which can smoothly insert a self-traveling endoscope into a colon by an anus inserting tube.